Archive of South Asia Citizens Wire

  • India: Student Suicides. Implead Petition of University Teachers at Andhra High Court

    9 April 2013

    Text of the petition with which a group of retired and senior university teachers have impleaded themselves, as teachers, in the writ petition before the Andhra Pradesh High Court in India. "We are all teachers who are deeply concerned about these suicides and the crisis in the universities that they point to."

  • Solidarity Vigil for Bangladesh’s Shahbagh Movement held in Delhi - report and memo

    9 April 2013

    On the 9th of April 2013 a small solidarity vigil was held at the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi in support of the Shahbag protests. The vigigil was jointly organised by New Socialist Initiative (NSI), Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association (JTSA), NISHANT, ANHAD, Krantikari Lok Adhikar Sangathan, Stree Mukti Sangathan. Text of the memorandum handed in to the Bangladesh authorities in Delhi is posted below.

  • Citizen’s demonstration against inaction by Maharashtra Government and in Support of Medha Patkar’s Indeifinite Fast

    by Dilip Simeon’s Blog, 9 April 2013

    Protest @ Maharashtra Sadan, Copernicus Marg, New DelhiApril 10, Wednesday, 12 noon onwardsDear friendsGreetings ! Medhatai Patkar is on indefinite fast since April 4, joined by Madhuri Shivkar on April 6th, against the illegal demolition of the slum dwellers in Golibar Mumbai. Today it is 6th day of fast but the government has not taken any cognizance. Signs of weakness and deteriorating health like vomiting, body ache, back ache are now visible on Medha Tai’s health. Even then her spirits (…)

  • India: Open Letter from a CPI(ML) Dissident in 1972

    by Dilip Simeon, 8 April 2013

    Posted below is a PDF version of a letter written by a member of Maoist party the CPI(ML). "Dear Comrades and Friends Abroad, In light of what has happened in the South Asian Region during the past twelve months, we wish to make some statements and ask some questions. . . . What took place in East Bengal in the first quarter of 1971was nothing but the bloody suppression of a people’s mass and democratic movement by a gang of fascist, obscurantist and utterly foul madmen - and every adjective is carefully chosen.

  • India: Statement adopted at National Seminar on the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958

    8 April 2013

    The Indian Parliament enacted the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in 1958 as an interim measure with the hope of suppressing the Naga Nationalist Struggle, the only such movement in the North East at that time. It was gradually extended to other North Eastern States and then in 1990 to Jammu and Kashmir.
    The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is to-date the single most direct instrument violating the democratic rights of the people of the North East and of Jammu and Kashmir. The Act is (…)

elsewhere on the web